Planning Community Engagement

Australian Curriculum Links

• ACHASSI065: Identify and describe points of view, attitudes and values in primary sources and secondary sources, and consider how these aspects are presented from different viewpoints.
• ACHASSI066: Pose questions to investigate people, events, places and issues.
• ACHASSK085: Identify the connections people have to their community and explain how these connections contribute to people’s sense of belonging.
• ACHASSK086: Describe why rules and laws are important in the community and identify the people responsible for making and enforcing rules and laws.
• ACHASSI073: Sequence information about people’s lives and events.
• ACHASSI074: Record and represent data and the location of places and their features by constructing tables, plans, labelled maps and graphs.
• ACHASSI075: Reflect on learning to propose actions or responses related to places and issues and consider possible effects of proposed actions.

These curriculum codes relate specifically to Year 2-4 in Humanities and Social Sciences under the unit "Building Our Classroom Community" and focus on community identification, belonging, and future engagement planning aligning with the theme of personal and community connection and responsibilities .

---

Lesson 27 Title

Planning for Future Community Involvement

---

Duration

45 minutes

Class Size

5 students

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Describe ways they have connected with their community during the unit.
2. Reflect on why community involvement matters and how it impacts their sense of belonging.
3. Create a personal action plan outlining how they will continue to participate and contribute to their community in the future.

---

Materials Needed

• Personal Action Plan template (simple worksheet with sections: What I will do, How I will help, When I will do it, Who I can work with)
• Whiteboard or large paper and markers
• Examples of community roles/activities (picture cards—e.g., helping at school library, volunteering at local park, supporting family events)
• Sticky notes or small whiteboards for student ideas
• Timer or clock

---

Lesson Flow

1. Welcome and Warm-up (5 minutes)

   • Greet students warmly and gather in a circle.
   • Briefly recap the unit focus: building a classroom community and what they have learned so far about connection and belonging.
   • Pose an open question: "What is one way you have helped or felt part of our community?"
   • Encourage each student to share a short example.

2. Discussion: Importance of Community Involvement (7 minutes)

   • Introduce why people get involved in their communities beyond school—helping others, making things better for everyone, feeling like they belong.
   • Use a visual mind map on the board or paper with the students contributing words or drawings about “Why Community Matters.”
   • Prompt thinking about how helping the community makes them feel.

3. Model Creating a Personal Action Plan (5 minutes)

   • Using the whiteboard, model filling out the Personal Action Plan with a volunteer’s idea or a hypothetical example.
   • Demonstrate how to think about what they will do, when, and who can help them.

4. Student Activity: Personal Action Plan Creation (15 minutes)

   • Hand out Personal Action Plan templates.
   • Guide students in thinking about one or two ways they want to contribute or be involved in their community, either now or in the future.
   • Assist closely, offering examples, prompting questions like:
     “Do you want to help friends at school? How can you do that?”
     “Is there a club, group or family event you can join or help with?”
     “What will you do first and when?”
   • Students write or draw their plans in their own way, using words, symbols or pictures as appropriate.

5. Sharing and Positive Feedback (8 minutes)

   • Each student shares their plan in a supportive group setting.
   • Encourage classmates to ask questions or offer ideas for support.
   • Provide positive feedback highlighting the students’ empowerment and ownership of their community involvement.

6. Reflection and Wrap-Up (5 minutes)

   • Reflect back on the unit’s journey and celebrate the ideas generated for future community involvement.
   • Emphasise the ongoing nature of community participation — that their plans can grow and change as they keep learning.
   • Ask the students how they feel about being part of their community now compared to the start of the unit.

---

Assessment

• Observe students’ participation in discussion and sharing to assess understanding of community roles and their sense of belonging.
• Review completed Personal Action Plans for evidence of reflection and clear intent on future community involvement.
• Use informal questioning to ensure students grasp the importance of community participation and feel confident about their planned actions.

---

Adaptations for ADHD and Autism (Kamaruka Education Style)

• Use hands-on, visual tools and clear, simple language throughout.
• Break instructions into small, manageable steps with frequent positive affirmation.
• Allow students to express ideas through drawing or verbal sharing tailored to their communication preferences.
• Offer quiet workspaces if students need calmer environments to focus on planning tasks.
• Build in movement breaks before the sharing session to help regulate attention and energy.

---

This lesson completes the "Building Our Classroom Community" unit by empowering students to take ownership of their future roles in the community, fostering a lifelong sense of belonging and responsibility. The structure aligns with the Australian Curriculum v9 Humanities and Social Sciences outcomes for Year 2-4 civics and citizenship learning, focusing on knowledge, skills and values about community participation . It also complements low variance Ochre Education approaches by being hands-on, highly visual and student-centred.